THOUSAND PALMS —
There was a small sense of relief around the loading dock inside the Lakers’ temporary home near Palm Springs.
The first milestone, the end of preseason games, had just come following a loss to the Phoenix Suns when the Lakers’ regulars shut it down in the middle of the third quarter. They had survived training camp and proven to themselves that they might be the special team they hope to be.
“I’m impressed with the guys communicating, the continuity of before I could even have a chance to say anything in terms of correcting something — be it defensively, offensively — they’re already on it,” coach Darvin Ham said.